Bellspeak

Originally Posted: July 8, 2010
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Just a something exultant I started writing when a happy song came onto my iPod.  Not really edited and my typical en media res approach to story-telling, but I like it.

Suffice it to say:

-In this world, people speak with bells.
-I've been considering an apocalyptic scenario for a while now, and I think Mandy's world is going to have it.
-...The second Sun is going nova.  Everyone's excited for the dawn of a new day.
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It is utter exaltation that drives Mandy to the window on the morning of the 11th. This is the day, the day all of the news anchors are heralding as the end of the world as they know it and Mandy does not want to miss a single second of something that is going to be earth-shatteringly amazing, she’s sure.

She throws on her favorite green skirt, runs a brush through her hair, and accessorizes with happy, yellow face-paint splashed in freckles across her bare shoulders and crossing up into her hairline. 

She jingles all the way to the kitchen, the bells around her ankles heralding her an acolyte of the second to highest order, but even her station will not dampen her spirits today. 

The Matron in charge of the kitchen meets her happiness with a glower and points to the mound of dishes waiting to be scrubbed. Mandy does not mind, hitching her skirt up around her knees and pushing the bracelets at her wrists up until they are on the other side of her elbows. She whistles to herself as she scrubs, her ankle-bells providing a happy harmony as she does not stop herself from moving with the music in her head.

The Matron comes to stand behind her and Mandy does not even notice, so caught up is she in the excited melody twisting through her head. She spins around, the bells at her ankles chiming, when the Matron puts a heavy hand full of too many rings on her shoulder and raises an eyebrow.

Mandy drops into a graceful curtsy and twists her left foot in a way that makes the bells chime a question. The Matron sighs and rolls her eyes and tells Mandy to just take her breakfast and go if she is going to be so full of good cheer. Mandy’s eyes light with joy and she throws an impulsive hug around the Matron’s thick waist before she trips over herself scurrying to the door.

The Matron’s face smiles slightly as she watches the younger girl run through the door. With a muted jingle the only harbinger of the older bells she too wears around her ankles, the Matron turns to the pile of dishes in the sink and proceeds to begin washing. Let the young worry about the end of the world. The old know that there are always chores to be done.